Why your AirPods die fast and simple ways to make them last

If your AirPods keep dying, the earbuds may not be the problem. Engadget walks through the likely causes, from normal aging to a dirty charging case. Most of the fixes cost nothing, so they are worth trying before you spend money on a new pair.

Age and ratings

The batteries in AirPods are lithium-ion, and they typically last about 300 to 500 charges before they wear down in a big way. That is roughly two to three years. If yours are newer than that, check Apple's battery rating for your model. Apple rates AirPods 4 at four hours with active noise cancelling on and five hours with it off.

A full battery is also not the same over time. Showing 100 percent after 368 charges is not the same as 100 percent on day one. Older batteries hold less, so an older pair will play for less time.

Habits that drain them

Leaving the buds out of the case is a common cause. Each bud keeps using power while it is connected to a device or searching for one. Put them back in the case when you are done.

Extra features add strain too. Spatial Audio, which adds a surround-sound effect, is not free in battery terms. In a quiet room, noise cancelling is unnecessary, and turning it off saves power. Dropping features only buys a sliver of time, though. Turning off Spatial Audio may add about 30 minutes on very old AirPods.

Check the case

Dust or earwax can block the tiny contact points inside the case. The buds then sit in place but do not charge. Put both in the case and check each one's charge level on your iPhone. A big gap, such as one at 22 percent and the other at 65 percent, points to a blocked contact.

Clean gently with a lint-free cloth. Do not scrape the contacts with hard objects, because they are delicate. Apple says a cloth slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol is fine. Keep it light, away from the charging ports, and let everything dry before charging. The case battery also wears out over time.

What to do

• Put the buds back in the case whenever you stop listening.
• Compare each bud's charge on your iPhone while they sit in the case.
• Reset them: Settings > Bluetooth > More Info > Forget This Device, then follow Apple's steps.
• Turn on Optimized Battery Charging under Settings > Your AirPods > Battery.

Optimized Battery Charging learns your routine and reduces the time the buds spend fully charged. On newer models you can also turn on Charging Notifications for low-battery alerts. After a reset, watch how long they last on a charge.

If nothing works

Contact Apple. With AppleCare+ coverage, Apple offers battery service at no extra charge when the battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity.